FAFSA applicants are citizens of the United States or meet non-citizen eligibility criteria. To be an eligible non-citizen, you possess a Permanent Resident Card, Conditional Permanent Resident status, or a Homeland Security status of refugee, asylum granted, indefinite parole, humanitarian parole or Cuban-Haitian entrant. Eligible applicants may be citizens in the Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands or Federated States of Micronesia.
Applicants must have received a high school diploma, obtained a General Education Development certificate, or passed a U.S. Department of Education approved exam.
At time of application, all United States citizens must provide a valid social security number under the name of the applicant. The FAFSA form requires an Alien Registration Number for non-citizens.
You must be accepted or currently enrolled at a higher education institution that allows financial aid as payment.
Male citizens between the ages of 18 to 25 are required to register with the Selective Service System to receive federal government benefits such as FAFSA. Started in 1940, the SSS maintains a registry of possible draft candidates and operates the draft lottery for the U.S. Military during a draft.
A drug conviction eliminates eligibility, if the conviction occurs while student is receiving aid.